Chapter 267: Jake
The next morning I am off to work as usual.
It would seem I wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping. Though Quinn and Cassidy were wide awake throughout the night for a different reason. The dark circles under their eyes can't seem to dampen their enthusiasm.
Really, my excitement for this amusement park isn't particularly over the top. Do I dislike amusement parks? I don't think so…
The thing is, I've never been to one and can barely remember what people who had been to one told me about it. The reason I wanted to go is because the girls always talk about their friends having gone to amusement parks and how much fun there was to be had.
Anyway, if they get a nice memory from this then my goal is achieved!
<You've really never been to an amusement and park.>
That didn't sound like a question.
<It really wasn't. The fact that you aren't at all looking forward to the amusement park itself and instead focus on what it will do for your daughters is telling. The only people I've ever seen not excited about an amusement park after visiting one are those who hate crowds. And that's not who you are.>
How can you tell?
<You aren't Edward.>
That's it? And why doesn't Edward like crowds.
<No clear line of fire, too easy to lose your target, high chance of mass panic, I could go on and on. Every single time a crowded situation arises, he goes on and on about it.>
Being in people's heads all day long has its demerits, doesn't it?
<Tell me about it, Edward still spends almost every free waking moment analyzing everywhere he goes for potential threats, exits, clear lines of fire, places to take cover. He's always rambling on about that stuff!>
Seems pretty standard for a former gunner turned assassin.
<I reckon it has more to do with the fact that he believes he could have avoided his tragic end if he had been more thorough. Which he wouldn't but have but try telling him that.>
Therapy?
<He might shoot the therapist!>
He's not that bad. Is what I would like to say but I probably don't know him well enough.
<Let's talk about something less aggravating, please. Today, you will be teaching Jake. Do whatever you can to help him gain a skill or two. Any skill he gains is good since Ptorimea can turn even the useless ones into potential by sacrificing them.>
You make it sound like he's a completely hopeless case.
<He seems that way so far. While Angst isn't exactly a great teacher and most of the people at the treatment center are self taught, Jake's progress has been unusually slow. The only skill he has learned so far is poison concoction.>
Maybe he just has some trouble getting off the ground?
<I hope so, and you will the one getting him off the ground.>
I'll see what I can do but if he really is hopeless there's nothing much I can do.
<Says the guy who has been continuously defying increasingly unbeatable odds. Just work your magic on him, will you? Your instructing skill has reached level 4 so use it!>
I'll see what I can do.
I move through the hallways under Navi's guidance. Jake is in his room, a carbon copy of mine.
<You are getting a bigger one soon, perks of evolving.>
Neat.
"Hey, ready to train this weak-ass bee into a super monster?"
"You shouldn't speak of yourself in such a demeaning way. If you actually start believing that you'll really be beyond saving."
"But senior Angst said that I had to face reality…"
"And who's currently in charge of teaching you? Am I or is it this Angst?"
"It's you but-"
I cut him off with a wave of my hand.
"No buts. I'm in charge and I mandate positive thinking. I don't know this Angst fellow and realism certainly has its benefits but you aren't being realistic, you are plain negative and self-depreciative."
"I'll try."
Good, he's at least willing to change his ways. Now, let's take another gander at his status.
Status Jake Lv.14 (19) free bee
Mp 10+18+0
Strength 1+18+1
Constitution 2+18+5
Speed 3+18+30
Magic ability 0+18+0
Skills:
universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map, flight, hive connection
Honey production lv.8; hive construction lv.2; bee sting lv.2; bee venom lv.3; poison concoction lv.9
Yep, that's not a lot to work with.
"What's the build you are after?"
"I don't really like fighting so I was trying to go for an insidious treasure build."
A what now?
<Insidious treasure build. A very niche build for monsters, where they pretend that there is a treasure but it's really a trap or illusion to kill the adventurers. For example, the transform phantom treasure angler fish in the noxian mausoleum. They use their lure that can transform into a lookalike of various treasures to draw adventurers into their attack range and chomp them in half.>
"So I'd assume that you make honey, mix in your poison and wait for dumb adventurers to consume it and die?"
"Pretty much. Sadly most adventurers don't immediately consume the honey. They have the carriers store it and take it back with them. Then, when they sell it in the alpha plain, the honey gets detoxified or tossed away. The regulations for checking stuff that's imported from dungeons before it goes to stores is way too strict!"
"Well, not much I can do to help with that. However, have you thought about setting up traps?"
"Traps?"
"Traps that defend where you store the honey. Like pitfalls and the like. The adventurers might get hurt and exhausted so they might want to taste some honey."
"That's a good idea, but I'm a bee! How am I supposed to make a trap?"
"Can bees not dig holes? I thought that underground bee hives were a thing."
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